John Hartson has revealed he remembers his tragic pal Gary Speed with a picture of the pair of them celebrating a goal on his mantelpiece – a year after the 42-year-old’s shocking death.

John Hartson has revealed he remembers his tragic pal Gary Speed with a picture of the pair of them celebrating a goal on his mantelpiece – a year after the 42-year-old’s shocking death.

Hartson, who was captained by Speed for a decade in the Welsh national team, said the loss of his friend still felt “poignant”.

He added that after all the tributes and a memorial match held in February, his thoughts had turned to Speed’s family and in particular his young sons Ed, 15, and Tommy, 14, who he has been to watch play football as they follow in the footsteps of their dad.

November 27 will mark one year since then-Wales boss Speed was found hanged at his home in Cheshire – a matter of hours after appearing in high spirits as a guest on the BBC’s Football Focus programme.

His death shocked the world of sport and, last month, Speed’s parents Roger and Carol told how November 27, 2011, was the “worst day” of the their life together.

Ahead of the anniversary, Hartson said Ed and Tommy were “doing well” but that Tuesday would be “painful” for the family.

He said: “Still, as a family, it’s not something you get over within a year or overnight.

“It’s still very painful for them as a family.

“The boys are doing very well and get on with their football but God only knows what is going on in their heads.

“You never know what they are thinking deep down when they have got a quiet moment to themselves.

“They worshipped their dad. They will have great memories of spending time with their dad.

“I feel for them as a family with young children – it’s incredible what they have had to go through.”

Hartson was due to be part of a radio commentary team for Swansea City’s match with Aston Villa at the Liberty Stadium when news of Speed’s death broke a year ago.

Inconsolable, he left the stadium, and later described how Speed had been “like a brother” to him and had offered his support when he was fighting cancer in 2009.

Now, Hartson is supporting Speed’s family – including Speed’s widow Louise – and has been to watch his sons as they try and forge their own football careers.

Ed in particular has shown early promise as a youth player with Wrexham and was named in the Wales Under-16 squad earlier this year.

And Hartson said he thought every time the boys took to the pitch, their dad would never be far from their thoughts.

“Every time they take to that pitch, they have got that in their minds,” 37-year-old Hartson said.

“And that will always be the case because he meant so much to so many people – in particular his family.

“People pay their respects and they do that naturally but my thoughts are still with his family, his parents and kids and wife and this is where it’s very painful still for them.

“My thoughts are very much with them.

“It will be painful after one year, two years or three years.”

At February’s memorial match against Costa Rica – the team Speed had made his international debut against – numerous ex-pros that had played alongside or against Speed over the years turned out to show their support.

Despite Wales’ losing the match 1-0, Ed later gave an emotional speech to the assembled players in which he repeated his father’s mantra that as long as they gave their best, which they had, that was enough.

And Hartson said it was that maturity and leadership that had made Speed so popular, and was now reflected in his sons.

“I remember, I think it was Edward or Tommy, got up in one of the lounges in Cardiff,” he said.

“I was standing there with Alan Shearer and Edward was talking and Alan nudged me in the ribs and said: ‘what a chip off the old block’.

“He spoke so confidently and well – there were a lot of tears in the room and it was very emotional.

“I think it was really fitting, the tribute that everybody paid and everybody came out – including the Alan Shearers of this world, Mark Hughes and a lot of ex-managers of Gary.

“We did give him a very, very special tribute and he was a man worthy of all those tributes.”

“It’s still very difficult to come to terms with that he’s not here anymore.

“You know, the Welsh squad miss him dearly and the players find it very difficult to talk about because it’s hard to find the right words.”

Hartson himself remembers his friend with a permanent memento on his mantelpiece – a picture of them celebrating a goal together in the red of Wales.

It sits alongside a picture of former Luton midfielder David Preece – another player Hartson played alongside whose life was cut short.

And he said every time he looks at the picture of himself and his former Wales captain he is reminded of the man who always offered his help to others and whose death a year ago inspired such grief, followed by an unprecedented outpouring of fond remembrance.

Hartson said: “I have known Gary for a long time. He was my captain for 10 years. He was an inspirational figure. He lived his life correctly, trained properly and helped others.

“He always offered his help and a hand to people and it’s tragic.

“The messages and the way people spoke about him, that didn’t surprise me because I knew how well he was thought of at Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Wales where he was doing great things with the national team.

“I have got a picture of me and Gary celebrating a goal on my mantelpiece. I have got a picture of Gary and another of David Preece who was a guy I played with who died.

WalesOnline is part of Media Wales, publisher of the Western Mail, South Wales Echo, Wales on Sunday and the seven Celtic weekly titles, offering you unique access to our audience across Wales online and in print.